Wound Care Tool Kit – Acticoat flex.

September 2, 2009 — Matthew Livingston R.N. C.W.S.

The new Acticoat flex dressing (Smith and Nephew) is a flexible low adherent polyester layer coated with nanocrystalline silver. Nanocrystalline silver provides a high kill rate against microbes and serves as an effective barrier against microbial contamination.

Indications: include grafts, surgical sites, venous, pressure and diabetic wounds.

Authors take:

1. Very flexible material with a little stretch that allows full contact with wound surface.

2. Works as antimicrobial layer under NPWT or VAC foam dressing allowing fluid transfer from wound base through to the foam.

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Wound Care Tool Kit – Conformant 2 Wound Veil

August 9, 2009 — Matthew Livingston R.N. C.W.S.

Description
The Conformant 2 wound Veil consists of high-density polyethylenenon which is non-adherent, permeable, and flexible.

Indications
The veil is useful for partial and full thickness wounds, grafts or donor-sites. It also an appropriate cover for Apligrafs and Dermagrafts

Authors Take
Much like Mepitel this non-adherent product protects the wound bed during the removal of the secondary dressing. It also an appropriate barrier to protect the wound bed during removal of the VAC or S&N NPWT Therapy foam. The advantage of this product over Mepitel (which I have used for years) is that the the Conformant 2 comes in large sheets 12×12. It is also very easy to work with versus Mepitel (which seems to stick to everything and is hard to reposition on the wound bed).

Warning – The Conformant 2 Wound Veil is somewhat transparent which allows for some monitoring of a wound or graft. But it also blends well into granulating tissue. So make sure that you document your placement of the veil for the next person who changes the dressing.

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Wound care Tool Kit – Xenaderm

February 9, 2009 — Matthew Livingston R.N. C.W.S.

Xenaderm (Ointment) – Healthpoint
Description: Xenaderm is a vasodilator that promotes healing with a non-petrolatum base that provides a fluid repealing barrier.
Indications: Xenaderm is appropriate for partial thickness wounds, perineal wounds, and radiation skin reactions (Healthpoint, 2008).
Authors notes:
1. Xenaderm is particulary useful for difficult to dress incontinence-related skin injuries.
2. Xenaderm may cause rashes in a limited population of patients.
3. Keep the Xenaderm ointment on the wound bed (as much as possible) and don’t use as a barrier cream. Xenaderm placed on normal skin will often cause a reddened inflammatory response, that will subside in a few days with discontinuation of the product.

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Wound Care Tool Kit – Santyl Collagenase

February 8, 2009 — Matthew Livingston R.N. C.W.S.

Santyl Collagenase (Enzymatic Ointment) – Healthpoint
Description: Santyl Collagenase digests collagen in necrotic tissue and contributes towards the formation of granulation tissue and subsequent epithelization
Indications: debridement for chronic dermal ulcers including pressure ulcers, venous ulcers, arterial ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and severely burned areas (Healthpoint, 2007).
Authors notes:
1. Can be used in a wound bed that has a combination of non-viable tissue along with granulation tissue and epithelization.
2. May work better with a moist dressing on top.
3. Can be used with NPWT (as we did with accuzyme)
4. Can be used alternatively with silvadine

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Wound Care Tool Kit, Mepitel

February 7, 2009 — Matthew Livingston R.N. C.W.S.

Mepitel (Silicon Dressing)- MoInlycke Health Care

Description: Mepitel can be removed from the skin surface with minimum pain and without damaging delicate new tissue.

Indications: Mepitel is used in the management of wounds where adherence of a dressing to the underlying tissue represents a particular clinical problem. Typical applications include skin tears or abrasions, surgical excisions, second-degree burns, blistering conditions such as epidermolysis bullosa, lacerations, partial and full thickness skin grafts, bio-engineered skin and skin damage following radiotherapy or steroid therapy (Mölnlycke Health Care, 2008).

Authors notes:

1. Best option versus Adaptic, Xeroform, or other impregnated dressings including gauze as there is a possibility these dressings fibers will get tangled into newly formed granulation.

2. Very useful in protecting wound edges and reducing pain with NPWT during foam removal (Foam can entangle into granulation tissue).

3. Place over vital structures (bone, organs, etc..) before placing the NPWT foam in the wound bed.

4. Helps to retain moisture and stability on larger open or very fragle skin tears.

5. Helps retain moisture and stability with Apligraf and Dermagraft (after skin substitute is secured with steristrips)

6. A comparable product would be the Wound Veil by Smith and Nephew


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